Alaska Politics Blog : Sullivan names spokesperson, city attorney

Alaska Politics Blog

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Sean Cockerham

Sean Cockerham writes about Alaska state politics. He's worked for the ADN in Anchorage and Juneau, covered the legislature for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, and covered Washington state politics for the Tacoma News Tribune. E-mail Sean at scockerham@adn.com

Kyle Hopkins

Kyle Hopkins covers rural affairs, general assignments and politics for the ADN. He covered the 2006 campaign for governor, has blogged extensively about Alaska politics, covered Anchorage city government and was a reporter based in the Mat-Su. He grew up in Southeast Alaska and previously wrote for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and Anchorage Press. E-mail Kyle at khopkins@adn.com and also find him on our rural Alaska blog, The Village.

David Hulen

David Hulen, the ADN's state and local news editor, is responsible for political coverage. He has been an editor and reporter at the ADN for more than 20 years. E-mail David at dhulen@adn.com

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Alaska political corruption

When the FBI raided state legislature offices in Aug. 2006, it publicly launched an investigation that ultimately reached the highest levels of Alaska politics, and continues to this day.

Sullivan names spokesperson, city attorney

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Anchorage Daily News

Posted: June 30, 2009 - 3:30 pm

From Bill White in Anchorage --

Anchorage Mayor-elect has named Sarah Erkmann as his chief spokeswoman and Dennis Wheeler as the city attorney for his three-year term that starts Wednesday.

Erkmann has been a columnist for The Alaska Standard Web site, a public relations executive and a drug sales person. She worked for the former Anchorage PR firm Bernholz & Graham for many years and earlier had been a weekend producer at KTUU-TV. She is a lifelong Alaskan who graduated from Service High School and has a history degree from the University of Oregon.

Wheeler has been an attorney for the Regulatory Commission of Alaska with responsibility for utility and pipeline regulation. He previously worked in the city’s law department and served two years as deputy municipal attorney. He graduated from Chugiak High School, also has a history degree from the University of Oregon and earned his law degree from Willamette Law School.

Earlier Sullivan said Larry Crawford will be his chief of staff, George Vakalis city manager, Cheryl Frasca the budget chief, Nancy Usera as labor relations director and Greg Jones as head of the economic development office.